Day 2

Aluminium roof lights, window and double sliding doors in the new extension.

It's the second day of My House Candy advent calendar which, in case you missed yesterday's post, is my daily update on our ridiculous, self-inflicted schedule to get the kitchen extension finished for Christmas.

Today the black aluminium windows arrived and Oh. My. God.

One happy (and warmer) builder and plumber after the sliding doors finally get installed.

View of the old outbuilding, now totally re-built and featuring aluminium windows

The window debacle has been a complicated one. I wanted Crittal of course ('cos cool), but they are about three million quid. **gross exaggeration but you get the idea**

Then I found an alternative supplier to Crittal - Fabco, which as its name suggests is a fab company in that it manufactures a nearly identical product (steel-framed windows and doors) at a more reasonable price point.

However, for the scale of my project, I had to concede that steel windows were over my budget and I settled instead for aluminium.

I'm actually really pleased I did. I mean, aluminium isn't exactly cheap but I feel it's enough money to pay for windows. We have spent our life savings on this build and although I didn't want to have to make compromises, this 2nd best option actually doesn't feel like one at all. As my sons would say, it looks SIK.

I opted for black frames and I feel like it's made the same difference to the build as when I used to draw marker pen outlines around my drawings as a kid. It gives definition and elegance and - although it's a stark contrast to the white sash windows on the original house - it somehow compliments them.

We went for two huge sliding doors in the end instead of french opening doors. It gives a cleaner look than the metal bars in Crittal windows would have created, which in hindsight would not have worked well with the panelled wall at the back of this room.

So as well as opening door 2 of their chocolate advent calendars, today the boys and I got to open the door to the newly enclosed kitchen extension for the first time. It feels massive (it IS massive). It's a luxury I have to pinch myself to believe is ours. I vowed to the builder at the start of this project that we weren't going to be one of those families who live in the kitchen when we've got a beautiful big house to spread out in. Well, I'd still prefer it if we didn't but I've got to admit, once I'm in here, it may be very difficult to get me out.

Enjoy your Saturday night all. I'm going to try not to drink too much as I celebrate this little milestone because it's another busy day of the build tomorrow and another early start. I'm looking forward to the update already.